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Douglas's Dilemma
Douglas's Dilemma is a 1947 Michael Shires Studios animated cartoon directed by James Kennedy and starring Douglas and Doris Duck. It was originally released on July 12, 1947 in the United States. Although Douglas is the official headliner for this cartoon, Doris is the actual protagonist. The dilemma of the title is actually offered to her, not to Douglas. Voice Characterization *Don Barlcay as Douglas Duck Production *Director: James Kennedy *Story: Roy Wallace *Animation: Don Lusk, Ed Augustin, Gil Turner, Walt Cardona *Layout: Ron Graham *Background: Clarence Chase *Music: Oliver Williams Synopsis The short starts with Doris narrating her problem to an unseen psychologist through flashback scenes. Her problem started on a spring day when she was out on a date with Douglas and a flower pot fell on his head. He regained consciousness soon enough, but with some marked differences. His singing voice was improved to Frank Sinatra. However, Douglas had no memory of who Daisy was. He became a well-known crooner and his rendition of "When You Wish Upon A Star" from Bubocchio (which had been released seven years earlier) became a hit, which gave him a large number of fans. Doris's loss resulted in a number of psychological symptoms - she suffered from anorexia, insomnia and self-described insanity. An often censored scene features her losing her will to live and pointing a gun at her head. She decided that she would see Douglas once again, at any cost, but failed to do so (which included attempting to get by the doorman by pleading, disguise, and force with the same result of the doorman kicking her out). That's when she decided to go to the psychologist - and the flashback meets the actual time of the cartoon. At the end of the cartoon, the psychologist determines that Douglas would regain his memory of Doris if another flower pot (with the same flower from the first pot, which Doris kept as the only thing she had to remember Douglas) would fall on his head. But he warns that his improved voice may be lost along with his singing career. He offers Doris a dilemma. Either the world has its singer but Doris loses him or the other way around. Posed with the question "her or the world", Doris answers with a resounding and possessive scream - "me, me, me". After calming her down, the psychologist tells Doris to put the same flower she found into a heavy pot. Compared to before, Doris is able to enter the stage door since the doorman has fallen asleep and drops the flower pot on Donald. The plan works and Douglas's voice is back to normal despite a terrible cost where the crowd boos him and he gets kicked out of the stage. Douglas is happy to see Doris again, asks where she's been, and kisses her as the short ends. Trivia *The reason the psychologist orders "No names" remains unknown. *The short sees Doris suffer from: **Insanity **Insomnia **Anorexia **Depression Category:1947 shorts Category:Douglas Duck shorts Category:Animated shorts Category:Films Category:Doris Duck shorts